Government of Gaia
The Government of Gaia is a constitutional monarchy ruled by Empress Ryoko as the head of state and Prime Minister Kenji Okamura as the head of government. Gaia is a unitary state and is divided into ten prefectures and one special region administratively. Gaia's legislature is known as the Gaian Parliament, which is a bicameral parliament consisting of a upper house and lower house. The upper house is known as the Imperial Senate, which contains non-elected members known as Senators. The lower house is known as the Imperial Assembly, which consists of 400 seats that are filled based on national election results. The Gaian Unity Party, along with its coalition partners, currently holds the majority of seats in the Imperial Assembly. The head of state is Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Ryoko. As monarch, she has authority over the governance of Gaia, but within set guidelines outlined in the Imperial Family's Book of Governance and the Gaian Constitution. The head of government is the Prime Minister of Gaia. This position is determined through national elections, and must be approved by the reigning monarch. The Prime Minister appoints and dismisses the members of their cabinet, as well as appoint judges to the Supreme Court of Gaia, with approval from the Imperial Senate. National government 'Prime Minister' The Prime Minister of Gaia is the head of government of Gaia. The Prime Minister is often the leader of the party that receives the majority of seats in the Imperial Assembly or is the leader of the senior partner party in a governing coalition. The Prime Minister is responsible for appointing cabinet members, presenting bills and other pieces of legislation to the Imperial Assembly, and numerous of other roles such as producing reports to present to the Imperial Assembly and the reigning monarch. The Prime Minister may also, at his or her discretion, dissolve the Imperial Assembly at any time and call for elections within five years of the beginning of their term in office. The office of the Prime Minister must be held by a citizen of Gaia who is over the age of 20 and he or she must be a serving member of the Imperial Assembly. The Prime Minister traditionally resides in one of the residences in the government quarter along Empress Boulevard near the Imperial Parliamentary Complex in Chukyo. The current Prime Minister is Kenji Okamura, head of the Gaia Unity Party and the governing coalition. 'Cabinet' 'Ministries' Ministry of Defence See also: Gaia Defence Forces The Ministry of Defence is a ministry within the Gaian government. It is headquarter in the Komasu Ward of Chukyo, and is one of the largest organs of the Gaian government. The Ministry of Defence is responsible for the administration of Gaia's armed forces, the Gaia Defence Forces. The primary objectives of the ministry includes defending Gaia and her territories, protecting national interests, and to maintain stability in Gaia's sphere of influence. The Ministry of Defence is subject to oversight from Her Imperial Majesty as well as the Gaian government. Ministry of the Environment The Ministry of the Environment is a influential ministry within the Gaian government. It is responsible for the preservation of Gaia's natural environment, conservation, and the enforcement of environmental laws. The ministry wields immense influence within the Gaian government, stemming from cultural and societal traditions of environmental protection and conservation. Today, the ministry is an active participant in government policies ranging from agriculture to utilities. Ministry of Foreign Affairs See also: Foreign Relations of Gaia The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a key ministry within the government of Gaia. It is responsible for the handling of the country's foreign relations. Today, the Foreign Ministry remains one of the most desired employers amongst Gaian graduates, as a result of the prestige and offerings of the ministry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs works closely with other ministries of the Gaian government and Her Imperial Majesty, to present Gaia internationally and to maintain good diplomatic relations with all countries. The ministry is also responsible for publishing a list of approved travel destinations for Gaian tourists. Recently, the list of approved destinations has dramatically shrunk, following increase in turmoil and tensions abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has many branches responsible for key areas in Gaia's foreign relations and policy. *''Office of Austral Bergo Affairs'' handles regional relations and with bordering countries in Austral Bergo (Kebir Blue). *''Office of Centau Affairs'' is responsible for relations with the Council of Centau and coordinates with the Ministry of Defence in regards to Gaia's peacekeeping contribution. It reports directly to the Prime Minister during emergency meetings or sessions of the Interplanetary Council. *''Office of PCO Affairs'' is responsible for relations with the Pnakotic Congressional Order, of which Gaia is a member of. In addition, this office helps coordinate activities such as cultural and student exchanges with federal allies, as well as state visits. Ministry of Information and Communications The Ministry of Information and Communications is a ministry within the Gaian government responsible for managing information and communications for the government as well as design and media for government agencies. It is also responsible for the overall administration and management of the country's telecommunication network and the regulation of the country's media landscape. However, the Ministry of Information and Communications is not responsible for administering the country's intelligence agencies, which are run independently from the government ministries. GaiaNET is currently maintained and monitored by this ministry. The Ministry of Information primary mission is to develop the nation into a more connected and informed place by: *Informing the public *Engaging the public *Developing a vibrant communications, design and media sector. Ministry of Home Affairs The Ministry of Home Affairs is the ministry responsible for the internal affairs of the country and is a key ministry within the Gaian government. The ministry administers the country's national police force, the Public Safety Bureau, and has many responsibilities related to the internal matters of the country. Responsibilities include: *Internal security (through the PSB) *Providing ID to residents *Immigration and border control **Citizenship *Relations between prefectures and the national government Local government Gaia's unitary system of government prevents regional entities such as prefectures from having much autonomy. The Ministry of Home Affairs acts as the intermediary between local governments and the national government. The country is divided into political entities known as prefectures and special regions. Gaia currently has ten prefectures, two special administrative zones (Chukyo and Sora), and a special region. Cities are then further divided into wards, which greatly vary in size depending on the city. Prefectural, territorial and municipal governments in Gaia are subject to the laws and statures of the Local Government Act. Each prefecture is governed by a governor, while municipalities are governed by a mayor. All prefectures have a local legislatures for local affairs, which function similarly to the Imperial Assembly. Gaia's only special region, Eastern Gaia has similar governance structures, but is exempt from certain sections of the Local Government Act, most notably those dealing with powers delegated by the national government. The country's two special administrative zones, Chukyo and Sora, are exempted from these laws and are directly governed by the national government through their respective metropolitan governments. Similarly, the country's "Special Economic Zones" are also exempt from the Local Governance Act, and enjoy slightly more autonomy than most prefectures and cities. Eastern Gaia, a special region, enjoys expanded privileges and exemptions under the Local Government Act, in all areas except defence and foreign affairs. Eastern Gaia's initial period of autonomy was guaranteed for 30 years, but has since been extended indefinitely. The territory's autonomy period entitles the Government of Eastern Gaia to greater independence in regards to governance and the fulfillment of their responsibilities. The expanded privileges also enable Eastern Gaia to receive transfer payments from the national government, at much higher amounts than the prefectures receive. Category:Gaia Category:Governments